Jockey Pat Smullen took the riding honours at Killarney where the Curragh based rider recorded a hat-trick of wins.
Smullen's first win was on 11/4 favourite Eshaarat in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden for the all conquering Dermot Weld yard. The daughter of Zafonic battled well to lead inside the final furlong eventually defeating Lady O'Reilly's pair Coco Plam and High Living by 2l and 2 1/2l. Weld was absent but Smullen later stated 'I liked the way she battled and she should progress further.'
Smullen's second winner was on Pat Carey's Clare Rose in the Kielys Electrical Stores Handicap. Clare Rose was a winner in Tipperary last Thursday and may bid for a quick hat-trick tomorrow night at Leopardstown.
Smullen later completed his hat-trick in the concluding River Rock Race on David Wachman's Raise A Storm for the Jack Of Trumps Racing Club.
Grand National and Gold Cup winning jockey Jim Culloty received the biggest cheer of the night after he partnered Theseus to victory in the Sunnybank Hotel Handicap Chase.
The 12/1 winner was providing Killarney born Culloty with his first winner at any of the three Kerry meetings. Theseus is entered in the Galway Plate but trainer Pat Hughes now plans to bypass the Galway feature in favour of a race over two miles at the festival.
Trainer John O'Shea does have the Galway Plate in mind for his Loan Man after the nine year old won the Grand Hotel Killarney Novice Steeplechase under Shay Barry.
Loan Man overcame a gap of almost two years when winning at 14/1 in Cork recently and O'Shea later mentioned 'he has been given only 8st 13lbs in the Galway Plate but if Montys Pass doesn't run, he may take his chance with 9st 8lbs. He also has the option of running in a novice chase at the meeting.' Winning rider Shay Barry was substituting for Sean McDermott who suffered a suspected broken arm after a fall in the opening race.
Dermot Weld's all conquering yard landed the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden with 11/4 favourite Eshaarat. The daughter of Zafonic battled well to lead inside the final furlong eventually defeating Lady O'Reilly's pair Coco Plam and High Living by 2l and 2 1/2l. Weld was absent but winning jockey Pat Smullen later stated 'I liked the way she battled and she should progress further.'
Smullen was later seen at his strongest when pushing Clare Rose home to win the Kielys Electrical Stores Handicap. Pat Carey's filly won in Tipperary last Thursday and may now bid for a quick hat-trick tomorrow evening at Leopardstown.
The 1m3f Claiming race was won by Catherine Gannon on Fascinating while Paul Roche's Bridge Hotel justified strong market support in the opening 2m6f Handicap Hurdle for jockey Garrett Cotter.
